I got them in. I used a very sharp xacto knife to cut the slot in the rubber a bit wider. I painted the car and I think there was just too much paint that made the metal too thick. I also filed the paint off the edge of the hole.
It is a difficult place in which to work, so pulling them from the bottom was almost impossible with any tools. I even removed the canister and fuel filler.
I tried pulling them then using my finger nail to help get the lip of the slot to pop thru the hole. I used wire lube also.
I think the combination of cutting them, filing the hole, lube and pulling them and using my finger nail worked.
What a PITA!
Then I get them all done and the water pump doesn't work!
I will post about that separately.